what do Methodists believe?

[AgapeBible]

What do Methodists believe? I am a former Southern Baptist that would like to be a Methodist. I like my art teacher's Methodist church. I have been having problems going to church. My mom doesn't feel like going, she has been feeling sick, and dad doesn't want to go. I wasn't ready to go today. I'd like to go next week. I watched Dr. Charles Stanley on tv. Are Methodists considered fundamentalists?

 

[Joykins]

What do Methodists believe? I am a former Southern Baptist that would like to be a Methodist. I like my art teacher's Methodist church. I have been having problems going to church. My mom doesn't feel like going, she has been feeling sick, and dad doesn't want to go. I wasn't ready to go today. I'd like to go next week. I watched Dr. Charles Stanley on tv. Are Methodists considered fundamentalists?

Methodists are not considered fundamentalists.

Go ahead and go and see what you think. The most obvious differences in praxis are that Methodists will celebrate infant baptism and open communion.

 

[GraceSeeker]

The pinned posts in this sub-forum will link you to some denominational websites where you can read about the beliefs of the various Methodist denominations.

I write in the plural because while all Methodists are descended from the work of John Wesley and his Methodist Societies, there are many different Methodist denominations today. We certainly have more in common than there are differences, but obviously there are some or we would be just one single denomination. And, you also have to be aware that since Methodist are not creedal in requiring a certain confession for a person to join their church, we often have individuals that think differently from the denomination as a whole.

For instance, you asked about fundamentalism. Most Methodists are NOT fundamentalists, and I am not aware of any Methodist denominations that would be officially fundamentalists. But there are some individual Methodist and even quite a few local Methodist congregations that are.

So, check out our websites, read our foundation documents, and just keep chatting here. Each will teach certain things about the various Methodist groups, and from combining them all together you should get a pretty good picture about what Methodists believe.

 

[GraceSeeker]

BTW, check out this informative article which might help to understand how or why Methodists (who are all Wesleyans) would not be considered fundamentalists: Why Wesleyans Aren’t Fundamentalists - Holiness Today

 

[skypair]

What do Methodists believe? I am a former Southern Baptist that would like to be a Methodist. I like my art teacher's Methodist church. I have been having problems going to church. My mom doesn't feel like going, she has been feeling sick, and dad doesn't want to go. I wasn't ready to go today. I'd like to go next week. I watched Dr. Charles Stanley on tv. Are Methodists considered fundamentalists?

It's a good place to go if you are already saved because they believe in living out Christ in their lives but without getting too legalistic like the Baptists do.

I also like that they were organized around the notion of small groups where discussion, not preaching, was encouraged among the members, IAW 1Cor 14:29-32. In fact, though I am a Baptist, I more enjoy my United Methodist Men's Fellowship which is studying 1Corinthians right now. There are definitely some former Baptists in the class and we are getting more of the meat of scripture out to one another. (I'd probably join the church but for their socio-political stands). They are NOT fundamentalists — in fact, "What Wesleyans Believe" specifically states that fundamentalists are looked down upon. You will not find "meaty" material in their sermons either — but I love their hymns.

skypair

 

[GraceSeeker]

It's a good place to go if you are already saved because they believe in living out Christ in their lives but without getting too legalistic like the Baptists do.

I also like that they were organized around the notion of small groups where discussion, not preaching, was encouraged among the members, IAW 1Cor 14:29-32. In fact, though I am a Baptist, I more enjoy my United Methodist Men's Fellowship which is studying 1Corinthians right now. There are definitely some former Baptists in the class and we are getting more of the meat of scripture out to one another. (I'd probably join the church but for their socio-political stands). They are NOT fundamentalists — in fact, "What Wesleyans Believe" specifically states that fundamentalists are looked down upon. You will not find "meaty" material in their sermons either — but I love their hymns.

skypair

I'm glad you are having a overall positive experience at the UM church you are affiliated with. Also interesting that you experience the sermons as not being "meaty." Just a reminder, many of us form opinions about groups based on one or two limited observations with small parts of it. But such anecdotal information really isn't sufficient to tell us about a group as large as United Methodism as a whole, and it certainly isn't going to tell you what you are going to find/not find in some other unique congregation. You just have to check out each one for itself because no two are really going to be the same.